Gold smuggling…GGMC to establish Lethem checkpoint

Feb 05, 2012 News

Government has announced its intentions to establish a Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) office at the Takutu River crossing to help prevent smuggling of gold and other minerals into Brazil.
The announcement was made earlier this week by the newly established Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment.
During a recent visit to Region Nine, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud and other officials of his Ministry met with residents of Lethem and St. Ignatius, where issues pertaining to forestry, mining, land extension and the environment were addressed.
The outreach is part of the Ministry’s initiative of improving the quality of extension services being offered by agencies within the natural resources sector, and the environment throughout the 10 administrative regions.
“We want to touch all the communities in Region 9… so we are starting here in Lethem and will be heading into the South to cover the entire area because this area is very important because of its wealth of natural resources,” Minister Persaud explained.
With particular focus on the mining sector, the Minister said that there are some unique features of the Rupununi, and as such mining will have to be done in a manner that takes into consideration the area’s vulnerability, topography and social dynamics.
With regard to illegal miners, Persaud said that “the sector will not be a free-for-all in terms of how we plan to pursue its development …the Ministry will continue to work closely with miners and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that sector is regularized.”
Government, he said, will continue to be tough on illegal mining and miners who are operating in the sector.
In addressing the issue raised by miners about the difficulty of travelling to Georgetown to have their gold sold to Guyana Gold Board, Minister Persaud said that his Ministry will be working with the entity to establish an office in their region.
The Region, he said, more specifically Lethem, is under the microscope as more persons and businesses have been expressing interest to invest in the potentials that exist, including for oil drilling and large scale mining and agriculture.
“There is renewed interest in the area in terms of mining, oil and gas and large scale farming…so we are looking at all these different facets. It’s our task to ensure that they are managed in a way that they do not affect people’s social and economic status but, also environmental conditions of the region.”

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Gold smuggling…GGMC to establish Lethem checkpoint

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